diff --git a/frontend/src/main.jsx b/frontend/src/main.jsx
index 87672e3..389ed5d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/main.jsx
@@ -1,14 +1,23 @@
 import React from 'react'
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client'
 import App from './App.jsx'
+import PlatformShell from './platform/PlatformShell.jsx'
 import './index.css'
 
 // Apply saved theme before first paint to avoid flash
 const savedTheme = localStorage.getItem('kubekosh-theme') || 'dark'
 document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-theme', savedTheme)
 
+// This bundle is served both by the persistent identity/platform instance (root paths) and by
+// every ephemeral per-student Lab container (reached via the Gateway at /lab/<token>/) — same
+// build, same code, split purely by the URL path at runtime. See
+// docs/PHASE2A_GATEWAY_AND_STUDENT_FLOW.md "Student flow" for why: it lets the existing Lab UI
+// (<App/>) stay completely unmodified while the new Platform Shell (entry/dashboard/launch)
+// lives alongside it in the same bundle.
+const isLabSession = window.location.pathname.startsWith('/lab/')
+
 ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')).render(
   <React.StrictMode>
-    <App />
+    {isLabSession ? <App /> : <PlatformShell />}
   </React.StrictMode>
 )
diff --git a/frontend/src/platform/EntryScreen.jsx b/frontend/src/platform/EntryScreen.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4f7074
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/platform/EntryScreen.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
+import { api, storeStudent } from './api'
+import styles from './Platform.module.css'
+
+// A. Entry screen — RootNode Academy branding, choose your name from roster, no password.
+// Explicitly pilot/dev identity, not production auth — see
+// docs/PHASE2A_GATEWAY_AND_STUDENT_FLOW.md "Student identity limitation."
+export default function EntryScreen({ onLogin }) {
+  const [cohorts, setCohorts] = useState([])
+  const [cohort, setCohort] = useState('')
+  const [roster, setRoster] = useState([])
+  const [studentId, setStudentId] = useState('')
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false)
+  const [error, setError] = useState(null)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    api.cohorts().then(setCohorts).catch((e) => setError(e.message))
+  }, [])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!cohort) { setRoster([]); return }
+    api.roster(cohort).then(setRoster).catch((e) => setError(e.message))
+  }, [cohort])
+
+  const handleLogin = async () => {
+    if (!studentId) return
+    setLoading(true)
+    setError(null)
+    try {
+      const student = await api.login(studentId)
+      storeStudent(student)
+      onLogin(student)
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(e.message)
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className={styles.entryWrap}>
+      <div className={styles.entryCard}>
+        <div className={styles.brand}>
+          <span className={styles.brandIcon}>⎈</span> RootNode Academy
+        </div>
+        <p className={styles.tagline}>Real-world Kubernetes labs. Pick your name to continue.</p>
+        <p className={styles.pilotNote}>Pilot identity — no password. Not production auth.</p>
+
+        {error && <div className={styles.errorBox}>{error}</div>}
+
+        <label className={styles.label}>Cohort</label>
+        <select className={styles.select} value={cohort} onChange={(e) => { setCohort(e.target.value); setStudentId('') }}>
+          <option value="">Select a cohort…</option>
+          {cohorts.map((c) => <option key={c} value={c}>{c}</option>)}
+        </select>
+
+        {cohort && (
+          <>
+            <label className={styles.label}>Your name</label>
+            <select className={styles.select} value={studentId} onChange={(e) => setStudentId(e.target.value)}>
+              <option value="">Select your name…</option>
+              {roster.map((s) => <option key={s.student_id} value={s.student_id}>{s.display_name}</option>)}
+            </select>
+          </>
+        )}
+
+        <button className={styles.primaryBtn} disabled={!studentId || loading} onClick={handleLogin}>
+          {loading ? 'Signing in…' : 'Continue'}
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/platform/PlatformShell.jsx b/frontend/src/platform/PlatformShell.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a01733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/platform/PlatformShell.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { getStoredStudent } from './api'
+import EntryScreen from './EntryScreen'
+import StudentDashboard from './StudentDashboard'
+
+// Top-level Platform Shell: entry screen if no student session, dashboard otherwise. This is
+// everything OUTSIDE the /lab/<token>/ Lab experience (which stays the existing, unmodified
+// <App/> — see main.jsx).
+export default function PlatformShell() {
+  const [student, setStudent] = useState(getStoredStudent)
+
+  if (!student) return <EntryScreen onLogin={setStudent} />
+  return <StudentDashboard student={student} onLogout={() => setStudent(null)} />
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/platform/api.js b/frontend/src/platform/api.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70f69ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/platform/api.js
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Platform Shell API client. Student identity is pilot-grade (roster pick-your-name, no
+// password) — see docs/PHASE2A_GATEWAY_AND_STUDENT_FLOW.md "Student identity limitation."
+// student_id lives in localStorage only, never a cookie, never sent anywhere except as the
+// X-Student-Id header on these specific requests.
+
+const STORAGE_KEY = 'rootnode_student'
+
+export function getStoredStudent() {
+  try { return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY) || 'null') } catch { return null }
+}
+export function storeStudent(student) {
+  localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(student))
+}
+export function clearStudent() {
+  localStorage.removeItem(STORAGE_KEY)
+}
+
+function authHeaders() {
+  const student = getStoredStudent()
+  // Prevents accidental anonymous progress writes (Phase 2A requirement): every call that
+  // needs identity throws instead of silently going out unauthenticated.
+  if (!student?.student_id) throw new Error('No student session')
+  return { 'X-Student-Id': student.student_id }
+}
+
+async function json(res) {
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    const body = await res.json().catch(() => ({}))
+    throw new Error(body.message || body.error || `Request failed (${res.status})`)
+  }
+  return res.json()
+}
+
+export const api = {
+  cohorts: () => fetch('/api/roster/cohorts').then(json),
+  roster: (cohort) => fetch(`/api/roster?cohort=${encodeURIComponent(cohort)}`).then(json),
+  login: (student_id) => fetch('/api/login', {
+    method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, body: JSON.stringify({ student_id }),
+  }).then(json),
+
+  curriculumPath: () => fetch('/api/curriculum/path', { headers: authHeaders() }).then(json),
+
+  environmentStatus: () => fetch('/api/environment/status', { headers: authHeaders() }).then(json),
+  launchEnvironment: () => fetch('/api/environment/launch', { method: 'POST', headers: authHeaders() }).then(json),
+  resetEnvironment: () => fetch('/api/environment/reset', { method: 'POST', headers: authHeaders() }).then(json),
+}